The use of inhalation devices in the administration of medicaments, for example in bronchodilation therapy is well known. Such devices generally comprise a body or housing within which a medicament container is located. Known inhalation devices include those in which the medicament container is a blister strip containing a number of discrete doses of powdered medicament. Such devices usually contain a mechanism for accessing these doses, usually comprising either piercing means or means to peel the lid sheet away from the base sheet. The powdered medicament can then be accessed and inhaled.
It would be desirable to provide a portable medicament dispenser (e.g. an inhalation device) which is refillable by insertion of a replacement container containing a medicament. The container may then be replaced when the medicament content is empty, allowing the majority of the dispenser to be retained. This allows the retained part of the dispenser to be fitted with additional features such as an electronics subsystem which may not be cost effective on a completely disposable and portable dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention that the refill container may be easily removed and that a new refill container can be easily inserted. It is also desirable that the operation of the medicament dispenser is clear and non-complex to a user and that any steps involved in preparing the dispenser for use are minimised and simplified.